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McIlroy charges through the field to put heat on Hanson as Ryder stars shine in Shanghai

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UPDATED:

10:57 GMT, 26 October 2012

Peter Hanson, the one European to draw a blank at the Ryder Cup, now has 10 of his team-mates chasing him at the top of the BMW Masters leaderboard in Shanghai, including a certain Rory McIlroy.

While Welshman Jamie Donaldson crashed from four ahead to six behind with a second round 74 – 12 worse than his opening course record – Hanson moved onto 14 under par with a nine-birdie 64.

The 35-year-old Swede, far from happy about being given only two games by captain Jose Maria Olazabal in Chicago a month ago, goes into the weekend two ahead of title favourite McIlroy.

Sign of the times: World No 1 Rory McIlroy waits for a ruling on his ball's lie on the seventh hole, before the obstruction is moved (below) so he can continue with his fine round, which ended with a seven under par 65

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'I'm really looking forward to it,' Hanson said. 'Playing with the world No 1 is always fun – it used to be Tiger, now it's Rory.

'I like to test myself and there's no better way than head-to-head. It's a good way to test your mental abilities and if you can play well it makes it so much nicer.

'I'll be playing 30-40 yards behind him and he's going to be tough to beat, but hopefully I can give him a match.'

McIlroy added a bogey-free 65 to his first day 67 and that opened up a three-stroke gap to third-placed Robert Karlsson, who burst out of the pack with a 64.

Looking good: McIlroy watches his tee shot on the 14th hole during the second round of the BMW Masters

'I played very well and gave myself a lot of opportunities,' said McIlroy, seeking a fifth victory of the season on the same Lake Malaren course where he won the Shanghai Masters a year ago.

'I saw Peter was going well and wanted to stay in touch. When I needed to get up and down I was able to make those and then got on a nice little run (he had a hat-trick of birdies from the 13th).'

Donaldson's golden touch of 24 hours earlier deserted him with five bogeys in nine holes either side of the turn.

'There were too many sloppy shots,' he commented. 'It was a tough day and slightly frustrating, but that's golf sometimes.

Leading the way: Peter Hanson hits an approach during his brilliant second round of 64

'I started pretty good and didn't capitalise, then my iron play was poor, but you never know what you are going to get with me – it's like a box of chocolates.

'Hopefully I'll sort it out and hit it close again – if I shoot a good score I'll be right in the mix of things.'

On eight under he is in a share of fourth place with another Swede, Alex Noren, England's Justin Rose and also Irishman Shane Lowry, winner of the Portugal Masters only two weeks ago.

Lowry dropped plans to go the PGA Tour qualifying school afterwards and admitted after his 64: 'I did a bit too much celebrating – it was a bit mental – but I came here early and did a good bit of practice'.

Fashion victims: John Daly (second left) is watched by a group of local fans at Lake Malaren

Karlsson might have to enter the Tour school in America to keep his card there. With one event to come next month he is down at 161st on the money list and only the top 125 retain membership.

At least he is back playing well after the horrors of the summer. He was having such problems with his swing that he even pulled out of The Open just before it started.

Rose is second to McIlroy on this season's European Order of Merit – the Northern Irishman has already secured that title in the States – and a second successive 68 kept alive his hopes of reeling him in.

In the hunt: Justin Rose is clinging on to McIlroy's coat-tails in the European Tour's Race to Dubai

Luke Donald, who did the trans-Atlantic double last year, is in joint eighth place on seven under, Scot Paul Lawrie one further back and both Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter five under.

Disappointed to be alongside them is Olazabal. Freed of the pressures of the captaincy, he began with a 67 to be joint fourth, but followed it up with only a 72 on another day of low scoring.

6.30am Three hours after his alarm, Barry Lane tees off the 141st Open Championship. He avoids all seven bunkers but three-putts for a bogey.

9.11am Darren Clarke begins his defence of the Claret Jug with a pinpoint tee shot straight at the flag on the first hole. Sadly, the resulting putt is not so pinpoint.

10.07am Against the collective will of the 28,500 fans with tickets, Lee Westwood’s day begins to unravel with a lipped-out putt for a double bogey on the third. But there’s always next year, right

Unhappy: Lee Westwood hit a double bogey on the third

12.09pm Sergio Garcia shows you can play out the rough with an astonishing shot on 10, out the deep stuff with terrific power to land 12ft from the green.

1.09pm Jamie Donaldson, the only Welshman in the field, sinks a relatively straightforward putt on the 18th to par for a first-round 68.

1.35pm Tiger Woods finds his ‘almost unplayable’ rough on the 15th hole and is true to his word, scuffing his first effort before making the green. He did say almost.

3.20pm American boy-band wannabe Rickie Fowler attracts a bit of attention for his checked headwear. BBC commentator Ken Brown says he ‘looks like he’s from the Brady Bunch’.

Old friend: Tiger Woods gets acquainted with the rough

4pm After Sportsmail revealed he was pulling out of The Open with a terrible case of the yips, Robert Karlsson tweets: ‘Thanks for all the support after my withdrawl from the Open!’

4.43pm Phil Mickelson, trapped in a bunker on the seventh, squirts one out of the sand and straight into the deep rough above the lip. Cue six officials scrambling to search for the ball. They find it, somehow.

6.01pm Rory McIlroy hits THAT tee shot which lands on the head of 16-year-old fan on the 15th. Still, no doubt a white signed glove helped with the resulting migraine.

Top spot up for grabs as McIlroy sets up Westwood date in World Match Play semi

Game on. Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy will go head-to-head in the semi-finals of the Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson on Sunday – and the reward for the winner at the end of the day could be the world number one spot.

Westwood reached the last four with a polished error-free 4&2 victory over Scot Martin Laird minutes after 22-year-old McIlroy, capable of golf most people only dream about, beat Korean Bae Sang-moon on the same green.

Big date: Westwood hits from a bunker on the eighth hole

The two Ryder Cup team-mates – stablemates too until McIlroy made what Westwood called a 'bizarre decision' to leave the camp last October – both need to take the title to oust Luke Donald at the top of the rankings.

Americans Hunter Mahan and Mark Wilson meet in the other semi-final, Mahan demolishing compatriot Matt Kuchar 6&5 and Wilson maintaining his record of not needing to play the last two holes yet by seeing off Swede Peter Hanson 4&3.

It was at this event last year that Westwood lost the number one spot to German Martin Kaymer.

He grabbed it back with two wins in Asia in April, but has been behind Donald ever since losing a play-off to him in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth a month later.

Sand man: Martin Laird hits out of the bunker on the 14th hole

Never previously beyond the second round at the Match Play in 11 previous appearances, the 38-year-old from Worksop has been superbly impressive in knocking out Nicolas Colsaerts, Robert Karlsson, Nick Watney and then Laird.

The Arizona-based Glaswegian became the first player to take the lead against Westwood when he rolled in a six-foot birdie putt on the first. But Laird, who came into the week ranked 40th, bogeyed the sixth, seventh, ninth and 10th – all with bogeys after missing the greens – to be in deep trouble at three down.

Westwood handed one back by three-putting the long next after finding the green in two, but Laird's three attempts to get out of a bunker on the 14th gave him a mountain to climb and Westwood was in no mood to let him back in.

McIlroy began in style with a birdie, but was in the lake at the third and with eight to play was again all square.

It was then that he showed his class, making birdies at the 11th and 13th – both par fives – and another on the driveable 15th when he chipped to two feet.

'For the most part I felt I played pretty well,' said the US Open champion. 'I hit a couple of loose drives, but apart from that I thought it was some of my best golf of the week.

'You really have to try to control your ball flight and pick your spots on the greens.'

Desert storm: Rory McIlroy (right) hits his second shot on the 10th hole

Kuchar, third in the event last year, was a shadow of the player who had knocked out fourth seed Kaymer the day before.

He three-putted twice and had four bogeys as he turned five down, then went over the green and dropped another stroke on the next.

Mahan added to his opponent's misery by halving the long eighth in birdie fours and then rolling in an 18-footer for another birdie at the next.

Not his day: Sang-moon Bae tees off on the 16th hole

Kuchar did birdie the 11th and 13th, both par fives, but so did Mahan and that was that.

Hanson fell behind for the first time all week when he bogeyed the first, but there was never more than one in it until the European Ryder Cup player went into the desert scrub for the second successive hole on the long 11th and ran up a bogey six.

Climbing the mountain: McIlroy hits his tee shot on the 15th hole

He was then in two bunkers at the 13th and despite rescuing a par five it was not good enough to save him from losing another hole – and the end was not far away. Mahan admitted he was surprised at how poorly Kuchar played given 'the level of game he has', while the short-hitting Wilson commented: 'They talk about it being a bomber's course, but you have to hit it straight too.'

That point was proved by the last two winners – Ian Poulter and Donald are by no means big-hitters – and Wilson had had only six bogeys in four games.

Donald won without playing the final hole. Westwood could do the same, but Wilson has not gone beyond the 16th yet.

Westwood makes it through to the last 16 along with McIlroy and Lawrie but Woods crashes out of Accenture Match Play Championship

Get out the flags and hang up the bunting. Lee Westwood has finally made it through to Friday at the Accenture Match Play Championship.

Let out a sigh of disappointment that it is not Tiger Woods waiting for him. Needing to hole a 5ft putt at the 18th to extend his match against Nick Watney, the once-immortal one pushed it limply to the right of the hole to offer more evidence that these days he’s just another good golfer.

Another compelling day of drama, then, in the best event in golf this side of the Masters and one that continues to treat UK golfers very kindly. Not only Westwood but Rory McIlroy and the two Scots Martin Laird and Paul Lawrie have also made it through to Friday’s last 16.

In the last 16: Lee Westwood made it through to Friday

Good day: Westwood beat Robert Karlsson of Sweden

All four are seeking to follow in the footsteps of Luke Donald and Ian Poulter, winners for the past two years.

At the 12th attempt, Westwood could scarcely conceal his delight at making it through to this lofty stage for the first time. ‘Feel like the first man on the moon,’ he tweeted. ‘One giant step through to Friday at the matchplay. Need more clothes. Didn’t pack enough.’

Finally, it looks as if the Ryder Cup Westy has shown up, as he bullied Robert Karlsson into submission with some dazzling golf over the front nine. He even gets an American opponent today, one to whom he will show the utmost respect.

One of the reasons Westwood has such a poor record in this event is that Watney just happens to have knocked him out for the past two years.

Can't look: Tiger Woods reacts to being knocked down

‘I feel the way I’m playing I will be tough to beat,’ said a buoyant Westwood, who nevertheless could have been forgiven for wishing that Tiger had made it through. The brutal truth right now is that Watney represents a more formidable obstacle.

As for Woods, not for the first time he lamented the disintegration of a putting stroke that, at his best, looked bullet-proof under pressure. ‘It’s the same bad putt every time, that block out to the right,’ he said.

Has there been a better day for Scotland in this tournament Scrolling through an exceedingly modest level of achievement, it is hard to find anything remotely comparable to the stirring victories mustered by Lawrie and Laird.

Up against the two best young players in world golf, Ryo Ishikawa and Matteo Manassero were duly dispatched by the admirable control of Lawrie and the awesome power of Laird respectively.

Through: Paul Lawrie is showing his good form

Now the pair will meet in the last 16, with the Scots assured of their first quarter-finalist since Lawrie reached that stage 12 years ago. For Lawrie, this was a continuation of his pleasing resurgence while Laird showed exactly why he will be a real asset should be make Europe’s Ryder Cup side in September.

If you’re wondering why you haven’t heard much from Manassero recently then this match provided a hearty clue, with the 18 year old Italian outdriven by Laird by as much as 75 yards on occasion. At the 9th, Manassero failed to clear a fairway bunker from the tee with his driver; Laird flew it with a three wood.

You’d have to enjoy an unbelievable day on the greens and hope for your opponent to start spraying the ball to nullify such a huge advantage. Manassero came pretty close to making the former happen but Laird was far too assured with his irons to permit any hope of the latter.

Going well: Martin Laird of Scotland beat Matteo Manassero

He really is an impressive ball striker, as illustrated by the long par four 7th, where Manassero was hitting a hybrid club for his approach and Laird, following yet another 300 yard plus drive, an eight iron to 3ft.

Looking forward to his match against Lawrie, Laird thought back to a time in 2000 when he was a promising youngster coming through the ranks and the then Open Champion paid a visit.

‘I was 17 at the time and Paul gave us a lesson and some good advice,’ he recalled. ‘I remember looking up to him then thinking this is where I want to go, I want to be holding the trophy like he is. Now it feels kind of funny that I am playing him tomorrow right here in Arizona.’

There were almost as many Japanese media following Ishikawa as spectators but Lawrie ensured there was little chance of sending good news back home as he delivered another virtually flawless exhibition from tee to green.

In with a shout: Rory McIlroy is through to the last 16

The 20 year old Japanese showed his flair with a couple of holed shots from off the green but also his penchant for wild driving, leading to a match in which Lawrie was never behind at any stage, eventually winning by one hole.

‘It probably should have been over earlier but I struggled a little with the putter and when that happens matches are going to go a long way,’ said Lawrie. ‘As for meeting Martin, I’m looking forward to it. He’s a good lad and it should be a great match.’

It might prove an ominous sign for the rest of the final 16 survivors that Rory McIlroy hasn’t played that well but is still around, following his three and two win over the Dane Anders Hansen.

McIlroy finished off the match with three perfect short game shots. The first at the 14th dropped into the hole for a winning birdie and he followed it up with a chip and a bunker shot at the next two holes that both finished stone dead.

Good shot: McIlroy reacts to his chip shot on the eighth hole

McIlroy will now play the wily Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, who might be 48 but shows little sign of a diminishing of his powers. He’s had two cracking victories to reach this stage, first over fellow countryman Sergio Garcia and then over U.S PGA Champion Keegan Bradley on Thursday.

McIlroy will dispose Donald and become world number one should he win this event and admitted it was acting as a further incentive. ‘You can’t help thinking about it given that everyone keeps mentioning it and it is definitely acting as extra motivation,’ he said.

The only UK player to lose on Thursday was Robert Rock, whose latest adventure came to an end with a three and two defeat against American Mark Wilson.

What a shame the man who beat Tiger in Abu Dhabi and Adam Scott in the first round here hadn’t been playing one of the big boys. He’d have probably won.

Rory beats Tiger at his own game! McIlroy turns escapologist to lead in Abu Dhabi

As so often when it comes to Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, one played golf with smoke and mirrors and compiled an improbably low score, while the other gave an exquisite demonstration of ball-striking but couldn't buy a putt.

The nice little twist at the Abu Dhabi Championship on Thursday, however, was that it was McIlroy who played the role of escapologist for once to shoot a first round 67, while it was Woods who hit virtually every fairway and green but had to settle for a 70.

As for the third member of the group, world No 1 Luke Donald played a familiar role, content to walk in the shadows of the two biggest box office attractions and compile a quietly impressive 71.

Good to talk: Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods were both impressive in Abu Dhabi

McIlroy finished the day as joint leader alongside the Swede Robert Karlsson.

Ulsterman Gareth Maybin and England's Richard Finch shot 68s.

World No 3 Lee Westwood carded a prosaic 72 while the shock of the day was provided by German Martin Kaymer, who has won this event three times in the last four years. He opened with a decidedly ring-rusty 77.

Shot of the day came from Sergio Garcia, who holed in one at the 12th and won an annual three-day stay at the seven star Emirates Palace Hotel for the rest of his life.

This was the first time Woods and McIlroy had played together in a European Tour event and a goodly crowd gathered for the start, even though it was 7.40am.

Wayward: McIlroy struggled to hit fairways but still carded a fine 67

As McIlroy said: 'First round tee times at that hour don't usually get me excited but this one did.'

Woods and McIlroy chatted away down each fairway like a couple of members out for a casual two-ball. They talked about their gym routines, their dogs – they both have two each – what they did in the off-season, you name it.

As the round progressed, Woods must have been getting a mite irritated at outplaying McIlroy but falling further behind.

Best of all was the 17th hole, the par five 8th on the card, where McIlroy never saw the fairway or green but still walked off with a birdie. How's that for out-Tigering Tiger

For Sherlock fans wondering how he did it, he hit his drive into the rough, his recovery shot into more rough, before an approach that finished just off the putting surface.

'This chip is very holeable,' said McIlroy's caddy JP Fitzgerald to his man, before Rory proceeded to demonstrate just how holeable.

Only a fool could fail to spot the dramatic change in McIlroy's body shape these past 12 months, as he's gone from Northern Irish bantamweight to an impressive physical specimen.

No, it's not to impress his girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki. It's all about the last eight inches the clubhead has to travel before it reaches the ball.

What could possibly go wrong in that split-second, you might be thinking to yourself You'd be surprised.

Quietly impressive: Luke Donald carded a one-under-par 71 to open

After undergoing a battery of tests, McIlroy discovered that his swing reached its optimum power eight inches short of the ball. Thereafter, he wasn't strong enough on his left side to have total control and while he got away with it most times it led a level of inconsistency he considered unacceptable.

So, for the first time in his life, he has developed more than a passing acquaintance with the gym to develop his core strength and particularly the muscles down his left side, so he can harness his power through the hitting area.

'I did a bit of 3D testing last week and I could see that it was a lot better than last year, and that's down to being a lot stronger in my legs and glutes,' he explained. 'It means I can keep the club in a better position on the way down and do it more often.'

If truth be told, there wasn't much
evidence of him keeping the club in a better position here. As he said
afterwards, it's amazing what happens when it's the first round of the
year and you've got a scorecard in your hand.

Trapped: World No 2 Lee Westwood could only manage a level-par 72

But McIlroy has seen enough in practice to believe he will be a better golfer than ever this year.

As for Woods, it was hard not to be impressed with his play from tee to green. The fact he hit 17 greens in regulation and had 34 putts says everything.

'I thought I hit a lot of good putts but I just found it hard to read these greens,' he confessed. 'It was a little more difficult than it should have been.'

What must be exciting for him, however, is the fact his long game is in such rude health, and that he is carrying on from where he left off last year, when he won his final event, the Chevron Challenge.

There's no question he's edging his way back to greatness. Get a bet on him for the Masters while you still can.

He was playing with Lee Westwood (72) and Sergio Garcia, whose 71 included the first hole-in-one of his European Tour career.

McIlroy's
ball-striking was not at its best, but like Karlsson he scrambled
brilliantly in his first tournament since recovering from suspected
Dengue fever.

Woods was
playing his first event since ending more than two years without a
victory last month, but did not make the most of his chances and
collected birdies only at the 11th – their second of the day – and short
fourth, where he almost holed-in-one.

Frustrated: German star Martin Kaymer endured a torrid time

Careful: McIlroy and Tiger Woods line up shots

Donald, meanwhile, followed eight opening pars with back-to-back birdies, but could not save par from the sand on the 200-yard seventh.

McIlroy had thrown down the gauntlet with a hat-trick of birdies from the 11th, holing from nine, 12 and three feet.

Then came bogeys at the 14th and 17th, but he added another birdie on the long 18th despite his wild second shot hitting the hospitality tent.

A superb pitch from the rough to three feet at the 600-yard second took him to four under and then came the added bonus at the long eighth after he had twice been in the rough and just missed the green.

He and Karlsson, who also relied on his
short game more than he would have liked, were a stroke ahead of
McIlroy's fellow Northern Irishman Gareth Maybin.

McIlroy said: 'It was a good score
and a great way to start 2012, but I don't feel I drove the ball
particularly well and it's something I've got to work on.

'It was nothing that a good practice session won't fix.'

Joint: The Swede Robert Karlsson shares the lead

He was fifth, third and second on the course the last three years.

'I feel it suits me really well. Just one problem – it suits Martin Kaymer even better.' Not today, however.

Woods said: 'I just had a hard time getting a feel for these greens. It was difficult and my speed was off.'

Donald added: 'It was fun to be part of that threesome – Tiger and Rory are huge names in the world of sport.

'Rory took advantage of a few more opportunities. I didn't make too many putts.'